Orchard Beach information sign in Spanish, for people entering from the parking lot (background).

The majority of people who come to Orchard Beach in the 21st Century are Hispanic, a reflection of the overall transformation of the Bronx population from Italian, Irish, and Jewish, to a mixture Black American, Dominican, Puerto Rican, West Indian, Mexican, West African, Bangladeshi, Albanian, Indian, and many other groups. In 2009, 31.9% of the Bronx population were immigrants, and the Orchard Beach crowds reflect this diversity. Salsa music dominates, often with live orchestras playing. It's not for nothing that the Bronx is known as El Condado de la Salsa.

The New Deal in NYC 1932-1943 | Frank da Cruz | fdc@columbia.edu